Event Details

Patios, Pools, and the Invention of the American Backyard exhibition

Outdoor living for Americans transformed after the end of WWII. The suburban backyard was a product of postwar peace, the growing middle-class, a rise in home-ownership, the baby boom, and the do-it-yourself approach. Patios replaced porches and the backyard became an extension of the home – a place for entertaining, cooking, and relaxing. Magazines promoted the modern backyard while companies quickly developed products designed to lessen the burden of maintaining these outdoor spaces.

A collaboration between the Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens and SITES, Patios, Pools, & the Invention of the American Backyardfeatures photographs, items, and stories that explore the development of the American backyard and will take a closer look into Connecticut’s backyard history.